1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved conveying system for a photo treatment apparatus in which a plurality of long length photo-sensitive sheet materials such as long length photo films are subjected to a variety of chemical treatment and more particularly to a conveying system with snake motion prevention members incorporated therein which ensures prevention of snake motion and smooth and reliable conveyance of the long length photo-sensitive materials connected to the tail portion of a wide leader, said plurality of long length photo sensitive materials being led and pulled by means of the single leader so that they are conveyed in parallel to each other along guide rollers disposed at a predetermined distance. As well known, snake motion of such long length photo-sensitive sheet materials is most undesirable for smooth and reliable conveyance and represents one of main factors causing problems in the technical field of the art.
The phrase "snake motion" as used herein means the sideways movement of a long length photo-sensitive sheet material in a direction perpendicular to its direction of travel through the conveying system and in the same plane as the sheet material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a typical conventional photo-treatment apparatus in which such a conveying system as described above is incorporated is known a socalled developing apparatus which is constructed such that a long length photo-film is subjected to a variety of treatments such as water washing, developing, fixing, stabilizing, hardening and others, while being led and pulled along guide rollers arranged at a predetermined distance therebetween or guide grooves for guiding the both edges of the long length photo-film or the like by means of a leader of which tail portion serves as a junction to the long length photo-film. One of main requirements for carrying out the aforsaid treatments in this sort of photo-treatment apparatus in an effective manner is that a long length photo-film should be displaced and conveyed smoothly and reliably. To this end a variety of techniques has been developed for prevention of snake motion which is considered as one of factors causing problems and thus a variety of measures have been taken against it. As cameras become more popular among people and thereby a large number of photo-files are consumed at a remarkably increasing rate, people require an automatic developing apparatus in which several lines of long length photo-film connected to the tail portion of a single wide leader are treated at the same time so as to improve operational efficiency of the automatic developing apparatus. This makes it impossible to apply the conventional technique further and thus urgent development of new technique has been requested for improved efficiency of operation of the automatic developing apparatus without waiting for such request from users of this sort of automatic developing apparatus. Further improvements in apparatus for the processing and developing of long-length photo-files has been made impossible because of the snake motion that occurs in the long-lengh photo-films as they are drawn through the machine and which becomes worse as the speed of travel through the apparatus is increased, because the snake motion reduces the quality of the resulting product and reduces the operating efficiency of the apparatus.